File photo used for representation.
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), represented by the Climate Change Department, has stepped up efforts to implement the project of planting one million trees in the country, which is part of the global initiative on climate change and sustainable environment.
“We held several meetings with partners in the Ministry and other stakeholders on how to implement the project,” Abdulhadi Nasser Al Marri, Director of Climate Change Department told The Peninsula. He said that the project was launched at the AgriteQ 2019 exhibition in March of this year.
“The initiative aims at encouraging plantation of local trees which suit Qatari environment using treated water and we have large quantity of used water,” said Al Marri.
He said the technical team of the Climate Change Department which is implementing the project is working with the partners to find out potential areas for planting the trees.
“The priorities will be given to the government facilities and roadsides in those areas which are closed to the sources of treated water,” said Al Marri.
The one million trees project aims at utilising treated sewage water for irrigation, reducing the wastage of water, enhancing biological diversity, improving air quality, increasing greenery to reduce carbon footprint.
“Apart from the one million tree initiative, which is a special project, the MME continues to plant trees and work to increase greeneries in parks, streets and other public places for beautification and to deter climate change and reducing carbon footprint,” said Al Marri
However, he said the initiative of planting one million trees is an additional efforts which will be made by the Department in collaboration with the partners.
“The aim of the initiative is to make collective efforts. Municipalities were directed to plant trees under the initiative. Individuals from the community and schools have initiated efforts making their great contribution in this regards,” said Al Marri.
Last year, the MME launched a massive campaign to distribute seeds and seedlings of wild plants to winter campers for planting them in several areas to fight desertification.
Under the campaign about 4,000 packets of seeds and 11,000 seedlings of wild plants ‘Al Najila’ quack grass were distributed to the campers. The campaign also aimed at distributing about 1,500 seedlings.
